UK Open Champion Dimitri Van den Bergh eased into round two of the New Zealand Darts Masters this morning.
All eight PDC representatives are in tomorrow’s quarter-finals, with Van den Bergh set to battle Luke Littler for a spot in the final four.
The Belgian averaged 94 and though the fans loved his Australian opponent, Van den Bergh had a different view.
Mark Cleaver is a methodical player and Van den Bergh accused him of using tactics in the match.
Van den Bergh admits game ‘wasn’t easy’
Though the scoreline suggests a comfortable victory, ‘The DreamMaker’ admitted to struggling in the match.
Speaking to Online Darts, he said: “I had to keep the mind up, try to stay positive and that’s what I’ve done in that game.
“It wasn’t easy; he was a slow player, he had antics and obviously he was one of the favourites in the crowd, so it wasn’t easy to play.”
Despite alleged antics from Cleaver, he failed to really threaten the world number 11 and managed an average of just 83.23.
Van den Bergh accused of similar antics in previous matches
There’s a slight irony in Van den Bergh’s comments.
The 30-year-old has often been accused of slowing his games down in the past.
He took an age against Italy in the World Cup of Darts to throw at a crucial double 10 with the game tied.
He also hit the headlines back in March, where he was subjected to a chorus of boos after slowing the game to a halt in the UK Open final against Luke Humphries.
Last month, James Wade hit out at Van den Bergh’s slow play at the World Matchplay.
Whilst some players have made a career of using underhanded tactics to put off their opponent, it’s not always the case.
Sometimes the adrenaline and pressure of a situation demand more time, and Van den Bergh has insisted his actions on stage are only with himself in mind.
Ultimately, the goal is to win a match and satisfy yourself.
The path a dart player takes to achieve that can vary and as long as it’s in the rules, there’s nothing wrong and can lead to success – as the reigning UK Open Champion has demonstrated.